21/10/03

First Trial of the HIV­-1 Vaccine in Africa: Ugandan Experience

Particularly useful for those in developing countries about to embark on an HIV vaccine trial, this article describes the social, behavioural and ethical issues that arose in 1996 when Uganda was preparing for Africa's first HIV vaccine trial (which ran from 1999-2000).

Most notable were misconceptions about vaccine safety and its effects, such as whether the vaccine itself could cause disease, or was a treatment for infection. The authors describe the strategies employed to overcome these barriers, for example, through public outreach education and media communication.